On Her Own
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: Vernon was supposed to be her Prince Charming, but Petunia is forced to make a decision.


**Written For:**

 **Quidditch Fanfiction League Competition:** Semi-Finals  
Captain - Use the song any way you like as inspiration for your story - Scrubs: Superman — Lazlo Bane

 **Hogwarts:** 365 Prompts  
Prompt - Bundle

 **On Her Own**

 _But I can't do this all on my own_

 _No, I know, I'm no Superman_

 _I'm no Superman_

Petunia nervously clutched her floral dress. She was nervous. Vernon, a boy she really liked, was coming to her house for dinner. They weren't officially dating yet, but she hoped they would be by the end of the night.

He was so cute and sweet. When he looked at her, Petunia's heart fluttered, and she felt like she was the only person in the room. She knew he liked her, but that could all change in one night.

Vernon was coming to dinner, and it was summertime. That meant her perfect sister would be home from her freaky student. Her perfect sister with her perfect red hair and perfect shining green eyes. Guys found her irresistible, and next to Lily, Petunia always seemed plain and unremarkable.

She hoped Vernon wouldn't prefer Lily.

She hoped Vernon would see Petunia instead of the perfect little sister. She hoped tonight would be the best night of her life.

Her fears were for nothing. Vernon arrived on time. "Perfectly punctual," Petunia praised as she opened the door for him. It made her like him even more. She hated tardiness. It was one of her many pet peeves.

"Of course, Petunia. I want your parents to like me after all."

"They'll adore you," she promised, praying she was telling the truth.

While Gerald and Suzanne Evans were polite, they didn't seem to love Vernon. Lily went out of her way to make Vernon feel welcomed by asking questions, though.

"How did the two of you meet?"

"How long have you been dating?"

"Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

Petunia would have been suspicious, but while he answered her questions, he didn't seem awestruck by Lily's amazingness. Vernon was impervious to her charm! And Lily seemed genuinely pleased that Petunia found someone she liked.

It was a miracle.

When he left that night, she saw wedding bells. And maybe it was time to let Lily back into her life since she was being so supportive.

X

Lily and Petunia mended their relationship with time. They would never be as close as they once were, though. They couldn't be. They lived in two different worlds, especially since Lily was engaged to a wizard. The only time she'd make trips to Petunia's world was for visits

Lily did her best to visit a couple of times a month and on special occasions like birthdays and holidays. Petunia understood. Lily's place was with magic, a place Petunia couldn't go.

When Petunia and Vernon got engaged, Lily got special permission from something called the Ministry of Magic for Vernon to know the truth. Petunia hated the secrecy, and he was going to become family.

Vernon seemed uncomfortable with it, but as long as he didn't say a bad word about Lily, they could deal with it.

'Times sure have changed,' she mused, and her inner voice held a touch of irony.

Petunia went to Lily's wedding alone, and Vernon asked them to limit the number of magical people at their wedding. Only Lily and James came. Lily must have threatened to withhold sex from her husband because James was on his best behavior.

Then a war started in earnest, and Lily could no longer visit.

Communications weren't allowed for safety precautions, and Petunia was left to fret and wonder.

X

It was a cool morning on November 1st. Dudley would be awake for his breakfast soon, but she wanted to get the newspaper before she started preparing the upcoming meal.

Petunia opened her front door. On the doorstep, there was a baby wrapped in a basket. She gasped and carefully picked up the precious bundle.

"Who are you?" she whispered for she had never seen the baby before in her life. She could tell it was a male because of the blue blanket, but that was all.

She saw the note taped to the blanket and shifted to get it while still holding the baby. The baby yawned and opened his eyes.

She found herself staring into eyes that were eerily familiar. Petunia quickly read the note, and her heart shattered to pieces.

As tears streamed down her cheeks, she turned her attention back to the baby. "Hello, Harry. Something bad happened to your mummy and daddy. It will be okay, though. I promise."

She went inside to find Vernon, but he was less than accepting.

"I don't want that freak in my house!" he bellowed.

Petunia held Harry protectively to her chest. "Sshh, you'll wake up Dudley. And Harry is our nephew. He's my nephew."

"I don't care!" he growled.

"His parents are dead."

"Good riddance," Vernon muttered.

Petunia's face turned red in anger. "He has nowhere else to go. We're his only living family."

"Send him to an orphanage then. I don't want the freak in my house."

"I'm not shipping him off. My sister is dead. He's my sister's son. He stays."

Vernon gave an ultimatum. "It's him or me."

"Go then," she dared.

Vernon went upstairs, grabbed a few clothes, his car keys, jacket, and stomped out of the house, making sure to slam the door behind him, causing Dudley to wake up with a cry.

Petunia blinked. How did everything go so bad?

'Maybe Vernon will come back,' she thought hopefully. Then again, with that poisonous attitude, she wasn't sure she wanted him to come back. Harry didn't deserve that type of hatred; he was innocent.

Petunia swallowed passed a painful lump in her throat. She made her way upstairs to where Dudley was screaming his tiny lungs out. She placed Harry, with his blue blanket, in the crib, and Dudley immediately quieted. He patted Harry's cheek with a chubby palm, and Harry returned the action by poking Dudley's belly button with a small index finger. They both broke out into fits of giggles.

Petunia sighed. She never imagined she'd be a single mother of one baby, never mind two. She was scared. She didn't know if she could do it alone. She was definitely no Superman. Or Superwoman as the case may be.

But it looked like she didn't have a choice. She'd have to do it alone. For Dudley and Harry.

XX

(word count: 1,029)


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